Daylight Drama!

How does an afternoon out with a few friends sound? Throw in a romcom, a bunch of giggly gals, and silly jokes, a perfect day out! Especially when husband volunteers to babysit the little bloke, its time let your hair down! On this note I very joyously joined the duo and thus our triad of females marched to watch the latest movie. I was the last one to reach the dark theatre when one of them jokingly informed me that, it seems like we chose the wrong movie we are the only ones watching it besides a few guys two rows behind us who form the audience. As I settled into the darkness i checked out and realised we were the only females. I started looking for the "guy-with-the-torch-who-guides-all-to-their-seats". He wasn't to be seen around. I looked back and counted 6 guys, double in number. Panic starts! Now I am completely unaware of what is happening on the screen in front of me and numerous thoughts start running through my head. I checked the distance till the exit in case they decide to attack us and we have to run, the possibility of calling the "torch guy" above the din of the movie, the decision to leave the theatre and go back home(which would have been awful). Then I decided to go to the manager and let him know the strength inside and the tension building up in my mind. I was about to get up when a family arrived with a baby clung to his mother, I relaxed a bit, then came a few more people including women as well. I calmed down with a sense of security, and then started paying attention on the screen. 

Later I kept on thinking how vulnerable we feel in such situations. Given the crime rate and incidents of harassment, abuse, happening each day, it is indeed a nightmare to be alone somewhere. Was I too petrified or was simply being cautious?  I still remember the Do's and Dont's from mother before school trips which included compulsorily not to venture alone in secluded places. I have not yet grown out of my fear of travelling alone at night. I see myself teaching the same to my young ones a few more years down the line.

How do we trust strangers when a sense of humanity is being eroded from our society? Women empowerment indeed would be the day we can walk the neighborhood streets without a single gaze on us!